Orange County is a county in Southern California composed of 34 independent municipalities. Famous for its beaches and its Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm theme parks, Orange County attracts a wide variety of tourists from around the country. Shows like The O.C. and the reality television series The Real Housewives of Orange County have further popularized the image of Orange County as an affluent and leisurely community. In fact, Orange County, bordered by Los Angeles to the north and San Diego to the south, boasts one of the most diverse populations in the U.S. Spanish and English are the most common languages spoken, followed by Vietnamese and a variety other Asian languages that are the norm in small ethnic communities.
This Airport Parking Connection travel guide will provide you with a few useful tips for getting around in Orange County and enjoying its renowned beaches, shopping centers, restaurants and nightlife.
Arriving at SNA Airport
The John Wayne Airport is the main airport in Orange County. Find airport parking at SNA by using our parking finder tool. There are several major hotel chains nearby and all major cab and car rental companies have locations there. If you live in California, north or south of Orange County, you can also take the train. The Amtrak travels straight through Orange County and provides passengers with a beautiful view of the ocean and adjacent mountains and hills throughout the whole trip. You can also arrive by car. Interstate 5 gets to Orange County if you are coming from the South. If you are coming from the north, you can take Intestates 5, 405, and State Route 57. If you’re coming from the East, take State Route 91.
Places to Visit in Orange County
Disneyland, located in Anaheim, is by far the most visited tourist attraction in Orange County. Knott’s Berry Farm, in nearby Buena Park, comes a close second. It’s usually less crowded than Disneyland, but many of its attractions are not as family friendly.
A lesser known attraction is The Ocean Institute, a beautiful research facility that offers visitors family-friendly exhibits and museum galleries, located in Dana Point. If you want to check out a historical landmark, there is the Mission in San Juan Capistrano, just north of San Diego. Mission San Juan Capistrano offers an audio tour for kids in English and Spanish. Families can sit down for a picnic or enjoy a pleasant walk through the Mission’s gardens, koi ponds and historic buildings and museums.
Things to Do in Orange County
Of course, if you simply feel like lying out in the sun or enjoying the surf, Orange County’s many beaches are there to accommodate you, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach being among the more famous ones.
Balboa Island is very close to Huntington Beach and is well known for its lively boardwalk, which is replete with vendors, restaurants and features amusement park rides. Another popular landmark the view point “Top of the World” in Laguna Beach, so called because it is the highest point in the County, providing people with an impressive view. Top of the World is a favorite destination for couples, as both sunsets and sunrises are spectacular from this location.
And, of course, there’s shopping. There are many high-end shopping centers throughout Orange County, and to go through them all would require its own book. There’s the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa; the Lab and the Camp, outdoor malls catering to the young and hip; and the Asian Garden Mall, the largest Vietnamese-owned-and-run shopping center in the country; to name a few.
But perhaps the most well known mall in Orange County is the Irvine Spectrum, located in Irvine. It’s a vast, outdoor complex offering a huge selection of entertainment options. Books, clothes, massage boutiques, restaurants, and almost any kind of store you can think of you can find here. The Spectrum is also home to the Edwards movie theatre, which hosts Orange County’s only IMAX screen. There’s also the Irvine Improv comedy club, a merry-go-round for kids and adults and a large Ferris wheel.
Orange County Night Life
Orange County has a lot of places to go for a drink. Aside from the high-end, hotel lounge and night clubs, the beach cities of Orange County are home to a wide variety of bars and clubs of the non-chain variety. Aside from the fact that each of these offer a unique experience and are in close proximity of the ocean, they also have the advantage of being within easy distance of each other and of nearby hotels. Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente are some of the cities you should look out for.
Airport Parking Connection recently opened a new location at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County. So next time you fly in or out of O.C., Airport Parking Connection will be there to provide you with the best value in SNA long term parking. Airport Parking Connection also offers discount parking rates, guaranteed reservations, safe and secure lots, and a hassle-free cancellation policy.